Go Bananas!

Jihvā for Ingredients (JFI) is an online monthly food event, celebrating the Ingredients and what they can do for our Jihvā. This is the brainchild of Indira of Mahanandi. This month JFI celebrates the goodness of Bananas at Mandira’s Ahaar.

These are some of my favourite ways (other than just eating plain bananas) to use Ripe Bananas; very simple recipes yet very close to my heart and palette.

These Banana recipes are being sent to Mandira. Thank you Mandira for hosting this month’s JFI-Banana. 

                           

Kelichi Shikran: The name brings back some warm comforting memories. Shikran Poli was my favourite combination in school days and reminds me very much of my grandmother (I don’t know why but it does!) Mashed ripe bananas (my mom says slicing doesn’t give the same taste to shikran-it has to be mashed with the hands!), sugar and milk all mixed together to the desired proportion that’s Shikran. The taste is as good as it is simple to make it! I also add a few dry fruits like cashews, raisins and dates.If a person like me (not at all fond of sweets) can relish this, anyone can!

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 Kelichi Shikran recipe

Serving: For 1 bowl/1 person

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1 large ripe banana

~ ½ cup milk (room temperature)

½ tsp sugar

Choice of nuts and dry fruits (I have used Cashewnuts, Raisins and dates) 

† Mash the banana with your hand in the bowl you want to serve the Shikran

† Add milk, sugar and the nuts/dry fruits mix nicely.

† Serve with Roti.

                        

Kelichi Koshimbir (Banana Raita): Ok if you are worse than me; as far as sweet tooth is concerned then this is another homely, comforting dish for you. Ripe bananas are sliced and mixed with yoghurt, green chillies, salt, sugar and some cumene powder to make this delicious Kelichi (Banana) koshimbir (Raita).

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Kelichi Koshimbir recipe

Serving: For 1 bowl/1 person

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1 large ripe banana

~ ½ cup curd/ yoghurt whisked

1 green chilly slit and chopped

A pinch of sugar

Salt to taste

¼ tsp cumene powder 

† Slice the banana

† Add the other ingredients and mix well.

† Serve with Roti  

                          

Kelicha Sheera: Sheera is a traditional Maharshtrian sweet, usually served as ‘Prasad’ for Satyanarayan puja.The Sheera that is made for ‘Prasad’ usually has slices of banana in it and most people love this version of the Sheera most; also that it is made for God makes it much more divine! I have already blogged about Mango sheera here. The recipe is the same.Just replace the mango pulp with slices of banana to make this divine Kelicha Sheera.

                          

                                Dancing Banana and friends                

Phodnichi Poli (Resurrected Leftover Roti)

A very popular Maharashtrian breakfast is Phodnichi Poli. Leftover Rotis (Poli as it is called in Marathi) from previous night are recycled the next morning for breakfast, by dressing them up with some spicy tadka (tempering).

I also add some available veggies to make it tastier and healthier. Nothing is as comforting as a hot spicy Phodnichi Poli for breakfast!

You can also substitute Rotis with leftover Rice, Bhakris or Bread to make Phodnicha Bhaat (Rice), Phodnichi Bhakri or Bread chi Bhaji/chivda respectively!

Like many fusion recipes in my kitchen I love to sprinkle some Chutney Podi on my Phodnichi Poli to give it a fusion- Maharashtrian-South Indian taste! J

Phodnichi Poli can be called the ‘Queen of leftovers’ and hence I am sending it to dear Nandita’s  WBB#15- Breakfast from leftovers

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Phodnichi Poli recipe

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7-8 leftover Rotis (Polis)

1-2 carrots grated (you can use beans, cauliflower, peas, tomatoes etc.)

1 onion chopped

4-5 green chillies slit and cut into pieces

5-6 curry leaves

2 tsp Urad Dal (white lentil)

A handful of peanuts

½ tsp mustard seeds

½ tsp cumene seeds

½ tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp sugar

Salt to taste 

For the garnishing:

Coriander leaves

Lime juice

Chutney Podi (optional) 

† Tear and crush the Rotis with your hands. Or if they are dry enough use a food processor to tear them to pieces.

† Add salt and sugar to the crushed Rotis and keep aside.

† Heat oil in a pan.

† Do the tadka (tempering). Mustard seeds- cumene seeds- turmeric powder- curry leaves

† Add the peanuts and the Urad dal and fry for a few minutes till the peanuts are fried nicely

† Add the green chillies and the chopped onions. Fry till the onions turn translucent.

† Add the grated carrot and cook for a few more minutes.

† Add the crushed Rotis, mix nicely and cook covered for 4-5 minutes stirring in between.

† Garnish with coriander and lime juice. Serve hot.

† My favourite combo is to eat Phodnichi Poli with a bowl of curd. 

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Another recycling idea with leftover Rotis – a must eat for people with a sweet tooth :Crush the Rotis with your hands as above. Add little ghee, crushed jaggery and some sesame seeds. Mix nicely and make small balls like ladoos from this mixture. 

These resurrected Rotis will take no time to vanish! J

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A few more leftover recipe ideas on My Foodcourt 

BhakriCha Kala

Sandwich

Stuffed Dinner Rolls

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Bendekay (Bhindi/Okra) Gojju

Thank you all of you for your wishes, I am feeling much better now.

South Indian food was restricted to Idli-Sambar-Dosa- chutney- Rasam that was till I got married.

After marriage I learnt so many wonderful recipes from my mother-in-law, not just idli-dosa etc.. but some really nice curries, rice and Rotis.

Ajay’s family hails from Bangalore ;Iyengars settled in Karnataka for generations together (and now he is settled in Maharashtra). It’s a fine blend of Tamilian + Kannadiga cuisine, and now my addition- +Maharashtrian cuisine. So we have some very hybrid recipes cooked in our kitchen!

This is a nice recipe for Bendekay(Bhindi/Okra) Gojju; of course my mother-in-law’s recipe.

Bhindi/ okra is cooked in tamarind pulp along with jaggery and some rasam powder (Malkapudi). It thus has all three tastes; sweet, sour and spicy. This recipe is especially good when you have less amount of Bhindi and more amount of people eating it or when the Bhindi is not very fresh and you need to dress it up! J

 

Bendekay(Bhindi/Okra) Gojju my second entry to Asha’s RCI Karnataka. 

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Bendekay (Bhindi/Okra) Gojju recipe _____________________________________________________ ½ kg Bhindi/okra/ Ladies finger – washed, towel dried, ends removed and chopped into small round discs.~ 1 tbsp tamarind pulp

2 tbsp crushed jaggery

 2 tsp Rasam powder (Malkapudi)

¼ tsp asafoetida (hing) crushed

7-8 fresh curry leaves

½ tsp cumene seeds

½ tsp mustard seeds

¼ tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp oil

Salt to taste

Heat oil in a pan.

Do the tadka mustard seeds- cumene seeds- turmeric powder and then the curry leaves and asafoetida.

Add the Bhindi and fry nicely. 

Cook for a few minutes and then add the tamarind pulp, jaggery, salt and the Rasam (Malkapudi) powder.

Mix nicely and add little water if the pulp is too thick.

Cook uncovered till the Bhindi is cooked nicely.

Serve hot with Rice of Roti.

 

Ganesh Chaturthi

Thanks all of you for checking up on me. Only a severe viral infection could keep me away from blogging for so many days! 🙂  I am much better now, just taking it easy.

Meanwhile, tomorrow is Ganesh Chaturthi, one of the most loved festivals here in Maharashtra and also celebrated in Gujrat,Karnataka & Andhra Pradesh.

    

Best wishes for an Eco friendly Ganesh Chaturthi and 10 days of festive treats!

Recipe for Ukadiche Modak for Lord Ganesha

Kopri Mithai- Coconut Barfi

Gokulashtami or Krishna Janmashtami was always associated with Gopalkala (Prasad made from beaten rice-Poha and green chillie, curds etc) and Dahi-handi, till I got married.

After I got married, I came to know that the little lord Krishna is treated to some assorted mouthwatering treats, in most parts of south India.My Mother-in-law prepares at least 5 sweet and savory items for this day. So whatever sweets you see in the Prasad plate are all learnt from her.

I will give here a simple recipe for Kopri Mithai or Coconut Barfi. I have already blogged about the Chivda recipe here.

Thank you, Lakshmi for letting me know of the festive carnival at the Yum Blog.This pooja Prasad is being sent to the Yum Blog for the Srijayanti event. 

Prasad: Milk Barfi,Coconut Barfi,Mysore Pak,Rava(semolina) Ladoo and Chivda 

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Kopri Mithai or Coconut Barfi recipe

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 Grate fresh coconut. Try to remove the black portion of coconut as far as possible. Use it to make chutney or sambar. Measure the grated coconut using a cup.

Measure equal amount of sugar (My husband has a swwwwwweeeeeeeth tooth unlike me and equal proportion is a must for him. If you are like me, you can reduce the amount of sugar.

In a heavy bottom pan add the coconut and sugar and cook on low flame, stirring continuously.

Cook, stirring continuously till the mixture comes together and forms a ball like mass (most of the moisture dries up).

Add Cardmom powder (this is optional –I don’t like it so I don’t add it). Mix well.

Grease a flat plate with a little ghee and spread the coconut mixture in it and flatten it with your hands or a rolling pin.

Sprinkle some golden raisins on this mixture.

Cut into desired shape (usually squares or diamonds).

Let it cool completely at room temperature.  

This is one of the most authentic and favourite sweets from the state of Karnataka, so this is my first entry for RCI-Karnataka hosted by the lovely Asha without her spectacles! J 

And here’s my little Kanha celebrating Gokulashtami

Krishna Janmashtami

                  Janmashtami Pooja in my house

 

Prasad: Milk Barfi,Coconut Barfi,Mysore Pak,Rava(semolina) Ladoo and Chivda

Ridge Gourd with Jowar-Wheat flour dumplings

I always wonder what keeps My Foodcourt going?

I am not someone who is very good with words , and so the writeup on posts are usually quite small and only occasionally elaborate. My food-photos are ok but not exceptional;I get on an average 5-7 minutes to photograph any of my recipes, before my little one decides it is high time he took charge of the camera!

Then what is it?

Of course I love your feedback and encouragement, the most important thing that keeps me going.

And then there are recipes like these which I love to share with you all! And that’s what I love the most about food-blogging; Posting recipes which you will usually not find documented on the internet or maybe even cookbooks, passed on from one generation to the other, which are very close to my heart and my palate, of course. Usually these are my mom’s or Mom-in-law’s recipes and hence can be called authentic.

This Ridge Gourd with Jowar-wheat flour dumplings is one such recipe- very authentic (since my mom makes it J ) and which you would usually not find on any Hotel menu card or maybe even in any cookbooks.

Dumplings of Jowar flour (sorghum/white millet)-wheat flour spiced with some chillies and ajwain (carom seeds) are cooked along with Ridge gourd. These dumplings just transform the simple, humble Ridge Gourd curry into something very exotic and utterly delicious, not to mention very very healthy. You can substitute Ridge Gourd with Silk Squash (Dodka) or Cluster beans (Gavar) or any such vegetable. 

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Ridge Gourd with Jowar-Wheat Flour dumplings recipe

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 2-3 Ridge gourds lightly peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces

2-3 garlic cloves (optional)

2 tsp Red chilli powder

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumene seeds

½ tsp turmeric powder

3 tsp oil

Salt as per taste

Fresh coriander leaves for garnishing 

For the Jowar-Wheat flour dumplings

1 cup Jowar flour

1 cup Wheat flour

2 tsp green chili paste

1 tsp ajwain (carom seeds)

¼ tsp turmeric powder

Salt to taste

For the Jowar-Wheat flour dumplings

Mix all the ingredients and knead into a firm dough. It maybe a little sticky but its ok. Shape small lemon sized balls of the dough into cylindrical croquette shaped dumplings. Keep them aside. 

Heat oil in a pan.

Do the tadka (tempering); Mustard seeds-cumene seeds-garlic- turmeric powder.

Fry for a few seconds and add the Ridge gourd pieces.

Add salt and Red chili powder, mix nicely and cook covered till the Ridge gourd is almost half done. Add about ½ cup water.

Place and spread the Jowar-Wheat flour dumplings one by one on top of the Ridge gourd. Do not stir or mix. Cover and cook on low flame till the dumplings are nicely steamed.

Only after the dumplings are properly cooked, stir the curry nicely so that the dumplings and Ridge gourd mix nicely.

Cook for a few more minutes.

Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Serve hot with Bhakri or Roti. I had it just like that!